Woman killed, 56 hurt as 6.9 magnitude quake hits parts of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE /PESHAWAR: At least one woman was killed and 56 persons were injured in Peshawar after a strong earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale struck various parts of Pakistan on early Saturday morning.

In Peshawar, one woman was killed and 56 persons, including seven women, were injured due to landsliding.

The wall of a house near the Lady Reading Hospital collapsed but no loss of life has been reported.

According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter of the quake was located near the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border region at the depth of 197 kilometres. The tremors were felt in
almost all cities of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, including Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Bahawalpur, Sukkur, Abbottabad, Chitral, Murree, Mardan, Mansehra, Dir, Chalas, Hangu, Skardu, Malakand, Astore, Pind Dadan Khan, Faisalabad, Jhang, Wazirabad, Narowal, Kharian, Chunian, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Daska, Gagu Mandi, Kala Bagh, Shorkot, Bhakar, Sangla Hill and Bagh. Traffic was blocked on Karakoram highway due to land sliding.

According to PDMA Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, fifty six people were injured in Peshawar and Hangu districts. The tremors were also felt in New Delhi and some other cities of India.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) advised people to take precautionary measures for earthquake and aftershocks.

“The aftershocks cannot be ruled out as well. In case of emergency or complaints please contact NDMA UAN: 111-157-157 or 051-9205037”, said a statement of NDMA issued here.